Identity
by Triplicate
Summary: The Witness Protection Program is the next step for Edward and his family after his mother is murdered by Billy Black. A relocation to Forks, WA is supposed to keep them safe, but does it? Can anything give them a reason to truly live again?
1. Chapter 1: Homeward Bound

Wish we did, but we don't. Stephenie Meyer owns it all and she's awesome for it. Enjoy!

"**Homeward" Bound**

_**~ Edward ~**_

"I'm not touching you. I'm not touching you. I'm not touching you." Alice held her hand over mine as it laid on the armrest between our two seats. I still couldn't get used to thinking of her as "Alice". I know she thought if she annoyed me enough that I'd give it up and let her be the one completely comfortable, or as comfortable as you can get on an airplane when sitting in coach. She already had the window seat, and I'd be damned if I was giving her the armrest too, especially since the other was already occupied by my father, "Carlisle", and I was squished in the middle.

"Edward," he whispered as he saw Alice and me in a stare-down, "you know how important it is that we don't draw attention to ourselves. Now, while I completely agree with your position in this battle over an armrest with your eight-year-old sister I would ask that you let her win this one, especially if you value my sanity. Please." I hated being called "Edward" and the look on his face when he said it indicated that it would take some getting used to for him as well. I kept forgetting that I'm not who I was a week ago, and never will be again. At least I get to keep calling him "Dad" and don't have to worry about training myself to use his new name. My little sister had wanted to go by the name Alice since she first read _Alice in Wonderland _years ago and was all too willing to make the change.

I didn't say anything. I just moved my arm and she looked up at me triumphantly, knowing only that she won and not at all knowing why. Why? That's a question I've asked a lot. I've asked why God allows bad things to happen to good people, as we all do. I've asked myself why I even bother getting up in the mornings, which again I know we all do. But I digress. I can't ask why anymore. It's not fair, and somewhere I heard that life isn't fair, or at least that's the rumor. I do know this about life, though. It sucks…well, it just sucks. I closed my eyes and listened to the hum of the engines below me, breathing deep and thinking that maybe there is a reason that all of this has happened. I exhaled slowly, keeping my eyes closed and wondering what good could come from being placed in the Witness Protection Program after your mother's been murdered and clues indicate you and your sibling are the next targets all because some psycho has a grudge against your doctor father. This is the kind of thing that happens to other people or in those Lifetime movies my mother used to watch, but not to me. Not to my family. Why, God, why? I finally knew what it was like to be so _emotionally_ drained that you _physically_ can't react to anything, or at least don't care to even try. I was empty, hollow, like I didn't have a soul. And with no soul, who knew what waited for me at death. I didn't care. Nothing would ever fill me again.

I finally opened my eyes. I focused briefly on the movie that was about to begin and noticed the flight attendant passing out head-sets. She reminded me a little of my mother, and I think my father noticed it too. She had the same pale skin and silky hair, and it recalled for me memories of my mother laying next to me at night and reading me stories when I was little, and I'd feel her hair against my cheek. The flight attendant noticed us staring at her, so clearly she assumed we were in need of her assistance.

"Good evening. Would you care for a head-set?" My father thanked her and quickly looked away while she let Alice pick out her own from the box. The longer she stood there the longer I stared, and I couldn't bring myself to stop. Once again, she noticed. She looked down and said, "My name is Tanya. Please let me know if I can get you anything. We'll have drinks and snacks out soon." There was a little too much compassion and pity in her voice, and it almost felt like she knew our secret. I bet her name _really was _Tanya. I inwardly rolled my eyes at myself for thinking like my little sister instead of my 17 year old self. I was so glad that my father made our flying to Washington an issue with the authorities. He insisted that there was no harm in us flying commercial and that it would be the last thing we could do as "us" before the mayhem of the WPP began. Clearly his position in Phoenix and monetary status helped him get his way, but nevertheless I was glad to have these few moments without the Feds all around. We knew there was an agent somewhere on the plane to watch over us, but we didn't know where or who, and we didn't care. I looked around quickly and did a survey of other passengers just out of curiosity. No doubt they were headed toward Seattle or staying on board to other big cities. No one would be doomed like us to head to the tiny, never heard of town of Forks, Washington and call it home.

When Alice was finished with her selection I muttered, "Thank you," and grabbed a set while staring at my drop-down tray table, feeling like a complete idiot. My father had managed to get himself together faster than I did and was boring holes into the magazine in his lap, no doubt in an effort to forget Tanya's presence and the memory it stirred of my mother. When she walked on past us he looked at me and rushed into conversation, likely in an effort to think of something else to distract him from the same thoughts I was having.

"Alice may have won the armrest battle, but you've won the war. You get first pick of the bedrooms when we get to the new place." He winked and raised one corner of his mouth like a kid who knew he'd just gotten away with something. I had my mother's eyes, but I certainly inherited that smirk from him. She used to tell me, _That little look of yours is going to drive the girls crazy_. As annoyed as I got at her saying that I'd give anything to hear it one more time. And I never would. Why? There's the "why" question again. I hate that question and I refuse to acknowledge that it even crossed my mind. I closed my eyes and tried to think of something else as my father stood and excused himself to the forward lavatory.

The only thing I could focus on was something that added to the dread of my current existence: starting at a new high school. Not only that, but being known as "Edward". No doubt people would think I was different because I'll be the new guy at school, and that on top of a new identity that no one knows is new is even worse. Stupid name. Alice was excited at the idea of a new school and new friends, but she was also a child. Not me. Who chooses to move in the middle of their junior year and have to struggle to make friends in a group that's already well established? Again, not me. But wait, I don't have a choice. I won't have choices and options again. Ever.

As my father walked back from the restroom I decided I wanted a moment to myself and stood up as he got near to indicate that I wanted past him. As I walked toward the facilities I could feel eyes on my back and a shiver run through my spine, no doubt the Fed making sure they knew exactly where I was headed. I didn't turn around, because what was the point in even acknowledging that I knew someone was staring at me? As the door closed and I placed my forehead against it my mind started to wander again, and I was amazed at how much peace I was able to find in a smelly coach class lavatory on a plane taking me to a doomed life. Nothing as I knew it would remain the same once we landed, and the things set in motion for my family when that low-life bastard took my mother from us is what started the downward spiral of my family's existence. Why? Damn, stupid question that will plague me for the rest of my life. Okay, fine. You want to know why? Here's why, and it's like I said before. Life sucks.

_**~ Bella ~**_

"No thank you on the head-set, but I will take a pillow and a blanket, dear." The flight attendant smiled at the older woman next to me and handed her the requested goods. At the last minute I decided it probably wasn't a bad idea to have the same things since I was going to be stuck in this sorry excuse of an airplane seat for a while. She handed me the items and identified herself as Tanya before moving on. Why are flight attendants always so...leggy and beautiful?

I settled in with my blanket and book and realized quickly that I was exhausted and totally capable of sleeping the entire flight. It was no surprise that I was tired, after painting on a happy face all weekend in Phoenix with my mom and pretending I was enjoying every moment of it. I hate pretending like things are fine when I'm with her. My dad, Charlie, used to make me spend two weeks with her every summer, but I put a stop to that when I was 13 and old enough, I thought, to make my own decisions. It turned into one week at the beginning some summer so I could get it over with, then I got smart and made my summers so busy that I could only spare a weekend during the school year, so there was no way I could stay longer and miss classes. A delicious scheme in my opinion, and of course she was none the wiser. _Good thinking, Bella, _I mentally patted myself on the back. She chose to leave me and dad, not the other way around. I can understand why he wants me to continue to see her - he thinks we'll reconcile, but that won't happen. She's dead to me, but such is my life. Why? I didn't even want to think about it, and I hated that I always asked myself that question. I was happy with my life in Washington, most of the time. On the rare occasion that I do get out of town it's a great conversation piece, because who's ever heard of a town called Forks? It's quiet, rainy and green. All of my friends are there, friends I couldn't imagine living without. Angela and I are practically attached at the hip and even though Jessica and I aren't quite as close I consider her in "the group". What still amazed me was my friendship with Rosalie, the girlfriend of the star quarterback, Emmett, and captain of the cheerleading squad. We were partnered in a biology lab once and hit it off right away after I thanked her for telling my unwanted admirer_, 'Take a damn hint and leave her alone unless you want me to break off your spirit stick and shove it down your throat'_. Mike took the hint and stopped his admiration after that, thank God, because trust me, no guy wanted Rosalie to break off their…well, yeah. Still, I have those moments where life just sucks. When I think about my mom and all the things she should have done for me and Charlie I'm reminded of just how much of a mother she isn't. Gah! At least when I get back to my tiny hometown everything will be normal again. Nothing exciting ever happens. Nothing ever will. Ever.

The drink cart started coming around and I sat up a little straighter to get a view of the options. When I stretched a little I realized nature was calling, so I made my way to the rear of the plane since the front facility read "OCCUPIED" and you can't congregate up there anyway. I nearly tripped over my ballet flats, because I'm the most graceful girl ever, in my attempt to get in line for the facilities and annoyed a few people in the process. As I stood at the back of the plane waiting my turn I did a quick passenger survey. Oh, that girl's top is cute, but what do I know since I'm fashion stupid. Weird, that lady had hair like my mom's crazy neighbor. Uh oh, that baby had better not wake up screaming because I forgot to charge my iPod. Wow, uh, 1986 called and wants that guy's jean jacket back. _Goodness, Bella, aren't we feisty today, _my inner self said. Yeah, I guess I just wasn't in a mood and was looking for an outlet to vent my frustrations, even if it was just in my own head. I wasn't overly impressed with my plane mates until I saw a mop of hair that was a beautiful shade of bronze and a face profile that did weird things to my tummy. I felt a jolt of electricity run through my body. I realized I was staring when a flight attendant brushed past me with a garbage bag and the smell brought me back to my senses. I smiled at her and excused my being in her way, but quickly looked back to begin my gawking again.

I noticed a handsome man walking out of the "OCCUPIED" lavatory from the front. Wow, _handsome_ was an understatement. As he got closer to the row belonging to my object of desire the said object stood up, and the profile shot I got was even more incredible than I originally thought. Wow, _incredible_ was an understatement. The man stepped beyond the row and the bronze haired guy stepped out and headed toward the front of the plane. The way his jeans fit him made me wish I was made of denim. _Bella, seriously, who thinks stuff like that? _I told my inner-self to shut up and went back to stalking. I truly couldn't breathe, or maybe it was just that I forgot how, and if I thought I was staring before I was wrong. If he felt my eyes on his backside it didn't show, because he never flinched. I could honestly see myself being a little trashy and wanting to join the "mile high club" right here and now, but that act for the first time in an airplane bathroom probably wouldn't be the greatest experience. It was hard not to be completely drawn to him when he looked like he just stepped out of GQ, but I still couldn't believe I was fantasizing about a guy like that when that was not my regular mental behavior. _I'm starting to wonder what you believe your normal mental behavior is, _she said. But, there's no harm in just thinking, after all… So, the first thing I'd do to him would be…

SMACK! At least the last three rows turned to see why I yelped and slapped my hand against my forehead and jumped back. The lavatory door flew open and they lady stepped out cautiously then, obviously realizing too late that a person received the majority of the force she put behind the opening of the door. She smiled in apology and I quickly stepped inside to get away from the stares that would only be waiting for me when I went back to my seat. Once inside and leaned my head against the door for a moment to think, a moment as alone as possible on an airplane full of mysterious people. So…my mom's a jerk and I got hit in the head with a bathroom door on an airplane and oodles of people saw it happen. _You're smooth, Bella! _To top it off, GQ up there would never give a girl like me second glance, and besides he was surely headed to LA or some other big city to his beautiful model girlfriend and wear more fabulously fitting denim while I am stuck in Forks, Washington. And I wonder why all of this just…is. Why? There's that question again. Okay, fine. You want to know why? Here's why, and it's like I said before. Life sucks.

**A/N: So, what do you think? Please be honest, as we, like many other authors, would like to know your opinion. This is our first FF and we're just playing around with it but we have a great idea on how we'd like things to progress. Let your friends know to read and review!**


	2. Chapter 2: Upper Hand

(2)

**~ Bella ~**

I'd heard that people can actually convince themselves that lies are truth. That there are those that can so firmly believe in a falsehood, either of their own creation or someone else's, that it becomes factual in every facet of their being. That this can happen through a person's own intentional misleading or an inability to, in some situations, discern fact from fiction. So I gave it a try as I left the bathroom on the plane two hours earlier regarding the whole door-to-forehead incident. But, multiple stares and snickers confirmed one thing…

It didn't work.

Now normally the trip from Phoenix to Seattle is fairly straight-forward, but the odds were already stacked against me. Post my door-to-forehead debacle, which I was still vehemently denying, I had to endure the feeling that at every opportunity I needed to play "Spot-the-Mop", a game I created to stalk Mr. Mop-Of-Gorgeous-Hair-Guy. The problem was that I couldn't do so without actually rising slightly out of my seat, so the more I tried the more I looked as if I was having "issues." Basically I couldn't win.

So instead I tried to relax and think about the upcoming week and all the drama of heading back to school Monday morning. I'd just finished a rough week at school with three different exams, as luck would have it. I nailed the English exam, of this I was certain, but the Biology lab was harder because I had to do it solo. My lab partner had been George Atwood, but George had come down with a horrible case of can't-stop-being-a-hoodlum so his parents literally yanked him out of class on Tuesday mid chemical mixing and he was now enrolled in military school on the east coast. Personally I think it's because his parents gave him an old person's first name. Anyone with a name like that has something they need to prove – like they're actually cooler than their namesake indicates, and thanks to George I decided a stereotype was in order: anyone with an old name was out to prove something and was probably trouble. To be fair I applied this theory to two other fellow classmates, Cyrus Moore and Wayne Curtis.

We had been sitting on the tarmac for almost an hour and a half since landing. Apparently something overheated, or made a noise, or maybe a wing fell off, I don't know. When we landed the tarmac was covered with fire trucks and people to save us, although I still wasn't sure from what it was we were to be saved. The flight attendants continued to explain what was going on to keep people calm, but I was gloriously oblivious. So all 187 of us hurried up and waited. It was both complete torture because I couldn't see him and complete bliss because at least we were still breathing the same air. I began wondering what _his _name was. Something overly sexy, I was sure – not like George. It would be…Rory…or, maybe Damien…or maybe even something slightly edgy like Chase…or Logan…ooh, or maybe like the guy from that romance novel Rosalie had me read during her "we need a book club" phase last summer…Asher!

Eventually I'd had enough of the very nice yet overly annoying old lady next to me. She was, after all, interrupting my internal name-the-Mop dialogue, so I conveniently excused myself to stand with several others in line for my current nemesis – the lavatory. I wasn't particularly thrilled about being noticed again by those close to me as I stood, because as it turns out I continued to deny the earlier incident but no one else did. I figured I'd never see any of these people again so what did I care, and I determined that if I put on the air on nonchalance that it would rub off on the other passengers.

As I stood and set my blanket and pillow into my seat I slowly peeked but quickly panicked. Where was he? I thought about hyperventilating when I suddenly remembered I was trapped on a plane and therefore he was too. I began to wonder why I was so interested, though. He was truly very beautiful and I was…me. I wasn't hideous but I certainly wasn't just an average looking person with average everything. Rosalie helped me see that I could clean up well now and then, but it didn't cure all my insecurities. I decided at least for this plane ride it didn't matter – I could just have fun and imagine that I was appealing. It made for better daydreaming, in any event.

Calm quickly made a re-appearance, and so I smiled down at my ballet flats in spite of everything when I knew he couldn't have gone far. And then it came crashing down again when I ran smack into a body in front of me because I was in fact still staring at said ballet flats while walking down the aisle. The sound of running into this particular body was fierce, because I just completely went full steam ahead.

I looked up and the calm I'd had just seconds prior fell away in a choke hold as I opened my mouth to speak, but no sound came out. I was face-to-face with The Mop. So instead I just internally combusted, then had to take the time to pull myself together.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that, excuse me." And then it seemed like a lot of things happened in just a very short amount of time. The Mop turned slowly, and when we made eye contact I had this harlequin romance version of events going on behind my eyes as he looked at me with a slightly hooded eye and small smirk. I envisioned him turning fully on me, slowly bringing his hands to my face and whispering sweetly, _It's you. I've been waiting for you. I've been waiting forever and I'm never letting you go. _I was now very happy with Rosalie. The trashy romance novel kick wasn't such a bad idea after all, even though our Book Club only consisted of the two of us and she did most of the talking and book recap.

And then he opened his mouth to respond and I swear I the heavens opened up and the angels began to sing. I was certain he was about to tell me his name was Asher and that he wanted to rip the bodice of my evening gown, or something more fitting to my current state of dress, but the idea was the same. So I waited with baited breath for his words that were sure to be as sexy as his Bella-given name…

"I just assumed you thought I was another door."

(2)

**~ Edward ~**

I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone or even be on this plane, but I certainly didn't intend to be a jerk to some girl waiting for the bathroom. My mother would have slapped me up-side the head for saying something like that, and my dad would have given me the death stare _and _slapped me upside the head had he been within earshot. I did earn a few laughs from people sitting around, and it fueled my already rising anger about my current life situation and the current misery I was confined within. I hate to admit that I kind of didn't care that I'd very clearly offended her, but I hadn't been myself lately. That "Edward" didn't exist anymore.

The look on her face during my internal monologue told me that she was a little stunned by my response. I didn't have the option currently to argue with my dad, and I certainly couldn't argue with my little sister. My mom was gone, I was being shipped to a little town named after a kitchen utensil, and now I'd been run into even though it was accidental. Minor in the grand scheme of my last few weeks, mind you, but still just one more thing to add to the list and I was done with all of it. I'm never going to see these people again, and I was fed up.

Bottom line, I was looking for a fight.

Rather than give her a chance to respond or truly react beyond a stunned expression I did something my mother would have been ashamed of. I continued to smirk at her as if she was an idiot, shook my head slowly as if she was pathetic, and turned my back to her as if she wasn't worth my time.

I stared straight ahead completely expecting her to go back to her seat in defeat, because I was winning this argument since I'd lost so many lately, but she never did. We moved slowly in the line toward the bathroom, and even though I didn't actually need to use it I was there just to escape my father and sister. You can't stand at the front of the plane, so I intentionally headed toward the back just to get away and have some time to myself, and in this hunk of metal I didn't have many options. Even during the entire exchange I could still feel eyes on me, and I knew they weren't just hers – I knew the federal agent was somewhere, and likely close by, watching this exchange.

It probably was cruel of me, but I stood there thinking about this girl and targeting my anger toward her. It wasn't fair to use her this way, and I laughed out loud to myself, albeit quietly, when I remembered yet again "life isn't fair." I was certain she believed that I was still laughing at her. Laughing at this girl who was probably on the way back to a normal life in Seattle after a fun sun-soaked weekend of spending mommy and daddy's money, and to a frivolous life that she feels entitled to. She probably had friends that she'd grown up with for years and never had to shift schools and start over, and I could guarantee you that the name she used was really hers!

The longer I stood and thought about all the things she likely had that I didn't the more upset I got. A generalization that had no basis in fact, but a mindset I grasped onto and held with all my might. I was sure that my body language continued to give off a vibe that said "don't mess with me" which is why I continued to be amazed that she stood there, although it might have been because as we moved forward other people gathered behind her and she was essentially trapped. Good – she was trapped. Trapped and forced to stand there and endure my wrath, because I certainly had plenty to dish out and she was the innocent lamb brought to slaughter.

The problem, though, with being raised by good parents with morals and a love for the Golden Rule is that after a few minutes I decided that I had crossed a line, even if this was someone I was never to know or care about. I'd been treated so unfairly in the last month of my life that to lack compassion toward someone else should have been abhorrent to me, and I began to feel ashamed. The worst part was not knowing how to fix the situation, and then panic set in because I felt like I needed to do something quickly or else the memory of my mother and the values she instilled in me would be lost. I wracked my brain for ideas, but was coming up empty.

Besides, how does someone go from being completely aloof to apologizing and saying, _Hey, sorry about that whole bad attitude thing. See, my mom was just murdered less than a month ago by someone who feels they were wronged by my dad, who was a prominent surgeon. And, get this – there were clues at the murder scene that pointed to my sister and I being targets because someone's really, really mad at my dad so he uprooted us and we're all being relocated under false identities, but you're not supposed to know that so pretend I didn't just divulge that information to you. _I had a feeling I would get in a wee bit of trouble for offering that information out freely, so I remained motionless.

I vacillated between feeling triumphant that I could look back on this moment and think, _wow, for one moment I was a total jerk for no reason whatsoever and didn't get busted for it, _or look back and think, _I can't believe I have to be embarrassed that I acted that way and what if I ever run into her again and haven't apologized? _I finally decided there was a first time for everything, and I was not caving on this – I was sticking to my plan to be a total jerk and for once in my life to totally embrace it. My sole reasoning rested on the fact that I would never lay eyes on this girl again – ever. I was becoming one with the bad attitude, air of indifference, and complete jerk persona to its extreme. I was overcome with a feeling of power because I currently held the upper hand.

Out of my peripheral vision I realized that there actually weren't any people standing behind her, but she was still there. Just standing there with a very stoic look on her face, and I decided it was because she didn't want to appear like a frightened little kitten and run away. Good for her – she had nerve, at least. I made to move a little, to make it look like I was just surveying the landscape and was in a general mood of irritation at everything around me, and that's when I saw _her_ coming. My little sister.

"Daddy was wondering what was taking you so long so I told him I would come check. I want you to hurry up because you said you'd play Barbie's with me again and this time I get to be Barbie and you _have _to be Ken because you're the boy. You have to, _Edward_!"

I stared down at my sister like she had the plague. Did she _have _to put emphasis on my new stupid name? I slowly looked up into the eyes of the girl behind me and saw a small shift in her demeanor – it was actually her that was smirking now, and she had a complete lock on eye contact with me. The upper-hand I'd managed a hold on for a few short minutes was actually waving to me from a far distance away – it was long gone.

"Just hurry up, _Edward_. I'm bored and daddy says we can't get off the plane yet even though I'm hungry." And with that she turned and walked back toward my father.

I had watched my sister walk away just long enough to see her reach my dad, and I could feel the girl's eyes still on me. Some weird force compelled me to look back at her again, even though I tried to fight it, and so I did. And I wished I hadn't.

"Your name is…_Edward_?" There was a very small pregnant pause while I swallowed very loudly, and then she threw her head back and laughed a maniacal laugh. She turned and walked back to her seat, and in her seat was the very upper-hand that I'd held only moments ago.

As she sat back down the hand was still waving, and she was still laughing.


	3. Chapter 3: Sweet Dreams

**All the love goes to Stephenie Meyer for building great characters to play with! Thank you all for reading – and keep the reviews coming, they're appreciated greatly!**

Sweet Dreams

"_How've you been, dad?" He looked at me with a hatred in his eyes like I'd never seen. This wasn't him, but it was him now, I suppose – a monster below the surface that I'd not known. This was not the man that helped me learn to ride my bike, or gave me advice about girls when I was so painfully clueless. He was filled with an all-consuming rage that matched that of only one other person. Me._

_I hadn't seen him in almost two months. He wasn't allowed visitors for various reasons once his trial started, but his sentence was handed down quickly. I was certain without even asking that we would have to make the most of our time together. He gripped the phone in his hand so tightly I thought he'd break it in half, staring straight at me from the other side of three inch thick bullet proof glass._

"_I've had time to think, boy. And that's what I need right now. It's what _you _need right now."_

"_Dare I ask, dad?" I tried to imagine, and hope, that were on the same page with where we wanted to go from here. "What are you thinking? And could it by any chance match what's going on in my head?"_

"_I've raised you right, boy, but I trust that you have some work ahead of you to figure out what's next. I'll be here to guide you, though. You just have to decide if you're willing to…finish what your old man started. You want to make me proud, don't you boy?"_

_I thought about it for a minute before answering him, wanting to make sure he really knew that I was fully aware of what he was asking. "It's not about making you proud, dad. It's making sure that piece of trash gets exactly what's coming to him." I could practically see the venom of my words seep through the phone and release in my father's face, him breathing it in as if it was sustenance he needed more than air. "No matter how long it takes, Dad, he'll get exactly what's coming to him."_

"_That's good to hear." He smiled a wide Christmas-morning smile, his front left tooth missing and drawing attention to the face that could now only be described as sinister. "That's real, real good to hear, boy."_

**~ Bella ~**

"Thanks, Charlie. I'm kind of tired from the flight and stuff, so I'm just going to make sure my homework is done and go to bed." This was the extent of our conversation since he picked me up at the airport. I'd pretended to be asleep in the car to avoid conversation, but only because I wanted to commit to memory the face that I'd never see again. I was sure I'd have sweet dreams tonight.

"Sure thing, kiddo. Is Rosalie picking you up in the morning, just like usual?"

"Yep, just like usual." I sighed. "G'nite, Charlie." Rosalie had been picking me up for school every morning for as long as she was able, just as soon as she had her license. We'd never missed a day, except for when she forgot to study for a history test and faked some "female problems" to her dad to stay home. Yet Charlie felt the need to ask every evening without fail. I had almost made it to the top of the stairs when I heard him again.

"Oh, hey Bells?" I turned back but he wasn't looking at me, he was looking out our front door. "Remember the Weber's house that was for sale?"

"What do you mean 'was' for sale?" As of Friday when I left for Phoenix the FOR SALE sign was there and I just saw it, or the outline of it at least, when we pulled in tonight. Angela Weber was one of my very good friends too, and we loved living close to each other. She had been across the street and down two houses but her bedroom and mine had been at angles that we could actually sit in our window seats and see each other. I don't know why we always made sure we could see each other when we talked on the phone, I guess it was just our thing. Her parents had built a house about five minutes out of town and we were hilariously over-dramatic when it came to moving day, laughing that we would _never _be able to talk on the phone the same. Her parents and Charlie just rolled their eyes, and even though we laughed it off it did really make me sad that we wouldn't be able to do that anymore, even as silly as it was. Good thing I still had her in my first period English class. "Did they take it off the market?!" I clapped my hands in glee even though I knew the answer.

"No, it sold actually. Can't find out much else. Seems fishy to me, but it is what it is." Charlie always thought because he was Chief of Police that he should be able to find out anything about anyone, but whenever he couldn't he always said that's just how it was and 'it is what it is.' I wasn't in the mood to ask more questions, so I let it slide and turned toward my room.

"Okay, Charlie, well when you dig up some information on the new people in town let me know. Good luck on your hunt."

"Sure thing, Bells. I have an early shift tomorrow, so I'll see you after school hopefully. If Jeff's still sick I'll have to work over and I'll see you Tuesday."

"Sounds good. So, um, g'nite." I closed my door and then just stood in my room not moving. I felt completely light and completely heavy all at once. I just closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep, cleansing breath, and slowly opened my eyes.

Nope, no help at all. I was still weirded out by this entire day.

A quick shower and check of the homework later I got out the cell and called Rose.

"Hello?" She said. That was weird, she knew it was me thanks to caller ID. Something was afoot…

"Hi, yes, this is your best friend Bella, as identified by my name and face that popped up on your phone like usual, so what's up? I'm assuming you're surrounded by family, am I right?"

"Oh, no, sweetie what happened? Was it really that bad?" Man, she is good.

"You're using me again, aren't you Rosalie? You're using me to get out of spending time with your family."

"Yes, sweetie, I am." At least that question she could answer truthfully, all the while oozing a fakeness that only she could pull off. I just stared at the ceiling and shook my head. I could hear in the background, _Mom, it's Bella and she just got back from Phoenix. Her visit must have been bad, because she sounds kind of upset. _Then I heard, _Oh, that poor thing. Just give your Grandma Hale a kiss goodbye then you take care of Bella. Give her my love. _Then, _I will mom. _Pause. _Bye Grandma, see you soon._

Then, my Rosalie came full force onto the phone, though she was whispering probably while she hoofed it up the stairs to her room.

"I swear on my love for Emmett and all the amazing things he does with his gorgeous lips, Bella Marie, I want to make out with you so much right now!"

"Hold it girlie, we've been over this!" I exclaimed in mock horror. "Why is it that every time I save you from something it makes you want to kiss me? I'm starting to question your choices, but just in case it ever really comes up let me just make sure you know now and forever – I'm good with my original plan to like boys."

"Swan, when you clean up you sure do clean up nice and you _do_ have a killer derriere. However, I'll stick with Emmett and all his man parts."

"Rosie, you don't know of Emmett's man parts. You're holding out on him and have been the whole time you've dated. You're such a tease" I joked. She really wasn't a tease, though. She exuded sexuality like a little minx, but she never pretended to be something she wasn't. She was adamant that any man worth her time would wait until she was ready. Even though she was head over heels for Emmett I knew she was making him wait for one simple reason. Because she could.

"Yes, I know. The high school rumor mill is amazing, though, isn't it? Let them talk, they're just jealous. It's like Cher says in _Clueless _– you see how picky I am about my shoes! Emmett can wait. No, really though, it's just that I love how you know to call at the exact right moment, although I am sorry to have used you like that, love bug. I really didn't even ask how the visit was. Was your mom cool?"

"As cool as could be expected, I suppose, but what's new. The most important thing is that I couldn't wait to get home, so that really sums up how I felt about the whole thing. But, oh my dear sweet James Dean, Rosalie, you wouldn't believe the guy I saw on the plane!"

"Well, treat me like ice cream, Swan – dish it up!"

And so I did. I told her all about seeing he-who-shall-be-named-later-in-my-recap and how insanely gorgeous he was. Told her about the door to my head, the old sweet lady beside me and how I forgot to charge my iPod, how I tried to pretend the door to my head didn't happen but the other passengers refused to play along. I told her of what _he_ said to me, how he'd acted like a complete, well…not nice person and how I wanted to cry but managed to hold it together. I also told her of the very awesome gene pool he apparently came from.

"I swear, Rosalie, it is so incredibly unfair how beautiful people just create more beautiful people. GQ even had a little sister that was adorable, but I couldn't get past…his name."

"Seriously, you keep dropping hints about the name. Why is it so secret? Is it because you finally grew a pair and asked for it yourself? And his number? OH SWEET MAMA, did you ask for his number?!"

"No, and keep your panties on, Lindsey, it's not like you think."

"Wait, let me guess. Umm….is it… Connor? I like that. Or, ooh, ooh…please tell me it's Dane! Like that guy that played football for Ohio State a few years ago who was insanely delicious and who plays for the Chicago Bears now I think, not that I've kept tabs on him or anything. Sometimes I change Emmett's name to Dane in my dreams, but don't tell him that. Or, OH, is it Asher, like from that awesomely smutty romance novel we read last summer? Or…."

"Edward." Quick pause.

"Exqueeze me?"

"Edward." Pregnant pause.

"You know this, like, fo realz? As in, it's factual? As in, it's completely accurate?"

"Edward. His name is Edward." Longer pregnant pause.

"Bella, do I need to remind you of your rule about all guys with 'old' names and how they think they have something to prove? Like Cyrus and George? I know that no one else is aware of your complete weirdness on this issue and I just find it and you completely endearing, but since this plays so perfectly into your very strange stereotype I find it insanely appropriate to make fun of you. Just sayin'."

"Oh, trust me, lady, I'm completely aware. He really was beautiful, though, but he was so rude! Ugh, it was awful, and I wanted to just slap him upside the head and yell that his mother should have taught him better. My stereotype still applies. I'm holding firm to that."

"Maybe they're a whole family of beautiful people and none of them know better." She giggled.

"But Rose, you're beautiful, and you know better."

"Sweetie, he's clearly just a beautiful face and nothing else. Anyone who acts like that, beautiful or not, is not worth your time or the frustration it creates. He seriously sounds like a friggin' skeez ball and I promise to kick him in the spirit stick if he's ever mean to you again, sweet pea." I could see the smart little look on her face as she said it. I loved Rose, and she was right – she was beautiful and she knew it, and she truly would kick a guy's spirit stick, giddy the whole time. She'd been stuck on this since threatening Mike Newton oh so long ago, and I knew she secretly hoped Mike would bother me again so she could make good on her promise.

"Okay, enough of you woman. That's a promise you won't get to keep since he's at his mansion in Seattle or beyond talking to his perfect and gorgeous girlfriend, and you know it. But thank you, my dear, I appreciate the offer. I'll see you in the morning." I was sitting in my window seat staring at Angela's house when I remembered what Charlie had said. "Oh! Rosie, did you know that Angela's house sold over the weekend?"

"Yeah, I guess some family coming from another state, but I don't know where. I actually think they have a little girl who might be Jasper's age." Jasper was Rosalie's 10 year old brother, who she claimed was a curse upon her head. And, leave it to Rose to have more information than my dad. Charlie was going to love this.

"How do you have all that info? Or should I even ask?" I just shook my head, laughing.

"You flatter me. No, seriously, Angie said she overheard her dad on the phone Friday making a deal on it I guess. I know she said her dad was nervous about it not selling by the time they had to move and having to deal with two mortgages, so they're probably anxious to be rid of it. She said she heard him say that he'd have the realtor fax everything over Saturday morning but that he would consider it sold. I suppose it could all be finished and sold by now from what our sweet Angie said. Her dad said something about 'their kids' and her dad said he thought it sounded like they have two and one is younger. She sounded sad. I'm sure her mom wasn't sad, though – Angie said Mama Webs could hardly wait to get into the new kitchen, as if their old one was bad. I want to live with a professional chef, but then again I can't imagine the horror of fabulous food non-stop. Having you kill me with cookies is bad enough, and my cheerleading metabolism can only go so far."

"Yeah, I remember when they did the remodel on it and upgraded to all those commercial appliances. I always wanted to get in there and play house but I never dared to ask even though Ang said her mom wouldn't care. I guess it is nice that it sold, though. I suppose I'll have new neighbors soon, and I'm sad too." I had started walking around my room getting my things ready for tomorrow but walked over to the window again to look back at the dark house that used to be so bright just a few weeks ago. It was selfish of me, but I missed her being so close. In looking back at the house something was already different, but I couldn't tell what.

"I never had understood why appliances get you hotter than Adam Levine, but whatever. Alright then, sugar pants, I'll see you in the morning." She said. "I'm going to need a caffeine fix for my make-up exam in Spanish, so be ready a few minutes early so we can go to _Beanz_, okay? Hey, you there?"

"What? Oh, yes, _Beanz_, that's fine. I'll see you in the morning." I was still staring at Angela's house wondering what I was missing.

"Good night, love bug!" And she was gone. I sat there still looking at the house as I finally realized what was different. The FOR SALE sign in the front yard was gone. I guess it really was sold, then. But who had come this late in the evening to take it down, and just since I'd gotten home? Why wouldn't they have done it in the morning? Weird.

I lay in bed finally and tried to imagine what my new neighbors would be like. The only other time in recent history that a new family came to town Charlie insisted that we go over and take something homemade, which meant I did all the work, and welcomed them to Forks. He claimed that his position in the town meant he needed to show people he cared, and the good thing was that he really did. I would have to check the supplies in the pantry before school to see if I had the stuff for my make-Rosalie-eat-two-dozen-at-a-time-and-she'll-pu nch-me-for-it chocolate chip cookies. They really were lethal – I was that good. I'd probably have to make a trip to the market after school, but I'd probably have to anyway since Charlie wouldn't have gone over the weekend.

I tried to tell myself I was irritated, but this was my normal and I loved it. Taking care of Charlie, going to the Market, my banter with Rosalie, my life in general. I truly did love it, and I was anxious to get back to normal tomorrow, even though I'd have to fly solo in biology for the rest of the term. Awesome.

I was finally able to drift to sleep a while later with thoughts of chocolate chips, flour, and a very messy Mr. GQ in my kitchen. Yes, my dreams would definitely be _sweet _tonight.

**~ Edward ~**

"I'm going to meet someone nice at school tomorrow, Edward. I can feel it. You're going to meet someone too."

I sighed heavily. "How do you know, Squirt?" It was all I could think to say. She was only eight, but the clarity she had on things sometimes really freaked me out. The older she got the more she just _knew _things about how the details of our lives would play out. I got more comfort from her than I wanted to admit.

"I told you, Edward, I can feel it. I think we're going to like it here, Edward."

I thought about her words for a moment before I responded. "Hey," I said as I leaned toward her a bit and nudged her shoulder, "I have a question. Whenever it's just us you still use my new name. Why do you do that? I know it's me you're talking to, so you don't have to say it over and over." I hated that the memory of her saying it twice in front of that girl on the plane came back to mind. I was still horrified.

She turned her body toward me, her body language indicating she was a little uncomfortable. I began to realize she'd grown up a lot over the last month, more than I had realized. "Practice, Edward." She said looking at her shoes, but she slowly raised her eyes to mine and conveyed understanding well beyond her years as she stared straight at me. "I don't want to mess up."

That was all I needed to hear to realize how selfish I'd been. She drove me crazy sometimes, but I loved her more than anything and I knew I needed to protect her from the evils of the world. It became my charge, although my father probably believed it was his. I wrapped my right arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to me, encouraging her to rest her head on my shoulder. Together we sat in the back seat of our new SUV, complete with blacked out windows, and watched as our father and some other men walked through the house before the moving truck began unloading our belongings and the reality of our new life set in. Someone, we were told, had done a check of the house last night to make sure it was ready for us and taken the FOR SALE sign out of the yard. I think they were installing some of the surveillance stuff for the WPP but I wasn't sure and I didn't want to know.

Last night had been rough. We stayed at a hotel in Port Angeles, which was as far from Seattle as we got before my dad said he couldn't go any further. I lay in bed for a while, just listening to the sounds of another unfamiliar city and thought about the past month up to the current day, and though I didn't want to keep thinking of the girl from the planeI couldn't stop myself. I still couldn't believe I'd behaved so badly, and I was ashamed of what my mother would say if she was here. I couldn't change my circumstances, or at least that's what the therapist had told, but I could learn from them and move forward. That was the only piece of advice I'd take from him, but I'd have to start with another therapist locally I was sure. I finally fell asleep and woke this morning feeling exhausted yet wide awake, a heady combination making me feel dizzy and completely fried. I was able to sleep a little in the car on the way here on this gloomy Monday morning but I hated to miss one thing that we passed, wanting to absorb all the newness around me. We eventually made our way into town and I was wholly unimpressed from the moment the _Welcome to Forks _sign made an appearance.

So now here we were, waiting to go inside our new home. I became distracted from watching the house when I saw a red convertible turn down the road. It was a beautiful car, one I definitely would have noticed anywhere, but here it seemed so out of place. As it got closer to us I realized the top was down, which seemed strange because there was a slight misty kind of rain in the air. It turned into a driveway a couple houses up and across the street. A pretty girl with blonde hair got out, and she looked about my age. She looked straight at our SUV while she clicked a button on her key fob and the roof of the convertible started to rise from the back and click shut over the front seats. Nice car indeed! Even though I knew the windows were blacked out on our car I still found myself shrinking down out of fear that I'd be spotted as she continued to look in our direction. She stared at me, well the car at least, then looked toward our new house for a moment. I realized she was probably just curious – a new family in this town was probably a big deal, and something I'd have to prepare for when I debuted in my new school tomorrow.

She was almost to the front door when it opened and another girl walked out to meet her. She was wearing a gray hoodie with the hood pulled up tightly over her head blocking out the mist that was quickly turning into rain. The blonde girl wrapped her in a quick hug and the other girl accepted it. They stepped back from each other and exchanged a few words, the girl in the hoodie with her back to me. The blonde girl punched the other lightly in the shoulder and they both threw their heads back in laughter, and right as they did the rain stopped and the sun came out full force for what would probably be a very brief moment. Just as it happened the blonde girl nodded her head toward our house while pulling her sunglasses from her head and putting them on. The girl in the hoodie turned her head but placed her hand, palm down, above her eyes shielding her from the sudden sunlight, effectively shielding her from me as well. She didn't seem to take as much interest as the blonde did, and they both turned toward the red car and got in quickly. They pulled out headed back up the road toward the stop sign, but once they turned I heard the squealing of tires and they were gone. At least the blonde knew how to drive!

Obviously the sound of the squealing tires caught the attention of the men and my dad inside the house, because I noticed them coming from the front door and looking up the street. Alice and I stepped out of the SUV as we saw them approaching and began stretching our legs. "Was that the red car I saw up the road," my dad said with a smile like he was impressed. The other men were laughing and talking too.

"Yeah, it was," I said as we continued to work the kinks out of our backs, the rain still being held at bay. "A couple girls got into it up the road and they looked about my age. Maybe kids I'll go to school with. I guess I'll find out tomorrow." I tried to act very nonchalant about it, and I think it worked.

"Well it sounds like the young lady driving it knows how to enjoy it!" He smiled genuinely. "Reminds me of the 'hot rod' I had when your mother and I started…" But he just stopped. He didn't need to say anything else. We just looked at each other for a beat. The men who walked out behind him were working their way around the house, looking at windows and such, probably securing things.

"I get it, dad. The hot rod you had when you and mom started dating in high school. But it's hard to think about her, because you're still dealing with the fact that she died so suddenly of breast cancer last month." I said all this while raising my eyebrows at him, encouraging him to take the bait and play along; because the more we accepted this ruse the easier it would be to believe it ourselves. Alice had at least taught me this much – practice makes…well, makes less likely to mess up.

"Yes. Yes, you're right. Your mother's sudden passing from breast cancer was certainly a shock, but this move to a new city and a new start is something we hope will be of benefit to our entire family." He stared right back at me, like we both realized we were practicing for questions we were sure to get later. Neither one of us expected what we heard next.

"I remember the day mommy said she didn't feel good." Alice was looking straight at my dad, and he was fixed on her gaze. "She picked me up from Rachel's house after a play date and took me home. But as soon as you got home from the hospital you told me and Edward to stay at home while you took her back to the hospital to see if she was sick. She never came home." Alice stood her ground, completely aware of what was going on. She was truly much wiser than I gave her credit for, and I think my dad finally realized he'd misjudged her ability to handle this chaos as well.

We all just stood in the middle of our new front yard, at our new house in this new town in the craziness of this new life, all looking between each other and no one saying another word. My dad finally broke the silence. "I love you both. Very, very much." He looked back and forth between us, the closed his eyes tightly and turned his face toward the ground.

"I love you too, daddy. Can I go inside now and pick out my new room?" Alice's demeanor had changed in a nanosecond it seemed, effectively ending the weirdness and bringing us back to the here and now. Right back to being my annoying sister, she was. Man, she's good.

My dad smiled and picked his head up slightly, looking at her with a smirk. "Alice, you know full well that I told Edward he got to pick first."

"I know, but he's going to want the one on the front, right there. The one with the window seat. The back yard is pretty and I want the room on the back looking at the spot where you'll put my new swing set and play house." With that she headed toward the front door, leaving my dad's mouth gaping.

Dad looked up at me, and I just shook my head and smiled. "Okay, Squirt, let's go inside so I can prove you wrong." She looked back and giggled and proceeded inside, but as I started to pass my dad he reached out and grabbed my forearm.

"She's insightful, just like your mom. I think we both have a lot we can learn from her."

"I agree." It was all I had to offer at the moment. He sighed and released my arm. "I'll go in and battle for the bedroom on the back of the house."

"Okay. I'll grab some of the stuff out of the car then we'll just wait for the moving van. It should be here in about an hour." He turned then and went toward the SUV, rubbing the back of his head.

I turned toward the house, looking at the upstairs window that Alice would surely be sitting in tonight. The house was nice, all white with black shutters, which seemed pretty standard and boring but it was well taken care of. There wasn't any chipping paint or lose fixtures, and even the landscaping was all really nice and lush green. Not the type of landscaping we had in Phoenix by any means. There were two large chimneys on either side of the home, so at least I knew we'd be warm in the winter. A long front porch across the front displayed a swing on the far right side, and if I was a creeper I could sit on it and see directly across the street to the house the red convertible had come to earlier. Even though it was the front porch I could see myself out here with a book – it seemed like it would be peaceful enough.

I focused again on getting inside the house and for once I would prove her wrong, I determined – that window seat would be hers. I stepped across the threshold into my new house, determined to make it feel like a home.

Many hours later as the sun went down I continued to unpack boxes in my new room, the one with the window seat, I was still laughing at how accurate Alice's vision was yet again.

_When we walked in I was instantly surprised, not expecting it to be as clean and nice as it was, for some reason. There was a wide open foyer with a staircase straight ahead, but far enough back from the front door that it didn't seem crowded and instead rather grand. It was a standard Victorian style with really cool hardwood floors as far as I could see, and I realized that I paid more attention to my mother's decorating business than I knew when I realized the style of architecture. To the left was a large room with a fire place, and I would imagine it to be a library or formal living room. To the right was a room of the same size but there was a large chandelier indicating that it was probably the dining room, and there was a large fireplace that mirrored that of the opposite room. That explained the two chimneys! On the back wall of the dining room, right in the middle, was a full swinging door that I imagined led to the kitchen, and I was right._

_The house was an older style, but the kitchen was completely modern with remodeling having been done fairly recently I would imagine. There were professional grade appliances, all stainless steel, and a large farmers sink that I knew my mother would have loved, because it was the same kind of sink she'd put in our own kitchen during our kitchen remodel a few years ago. In a weird way it made me feel close to her. The cabinets were all very dark brown, almost black, and the counters were a lightly stained concrete with roughed edges all around. The upper cabinets along one way all had glass fronts so you would be able to see whatever was behind them. A modern kitchen in an older home, and as weird as it was I thought it to be totally cool. Despite my lack of abilities in the kitchen I didn't think I'd mind trying a few things in here just because I could tell it was pretty awesome. Eh hem, for a kitchen._

_There was an attached eat-in area in the kitchen too, also with a fireplace on the back wall, but it didn't appear to have been used much. Other than the stone around the fireplace the wall was nothing but floor to ceiling windows, save for a section that was a glass door that opened up to a large patio in the back. It was so bright, probably because right now the sun was out, but it made sense – with all the rain and gloom this would let in as much light as possible. I had thought that the front porch would be a great place to read, but the back of the house was pretty amazing too, with landscaping around the patio as pretty as the stuff out front. _

_To the left I noticed a staircase and my brain immediately realized that couldn't be right because the stairs faced the front door. I was sure my face probably registered complete confusion. I quickly realized that there was a landing between the two staircases before it turned into one set of stairs toward the second level. That seemed cool – I could make a decision each morning where I wanted to appear when I went downstairs – the thought made me chuckle to myself for some reason. Like one of those "choose your own adventure" books. _

_Before heading up I finished my tour of the downstairs by heading back into the dining room and through the foyer where I had started, then I continued on into the living room. There was a hallway just to the left of the staircase that ran through to the back of the house – it was neat because it was open to the high ceilings in the foyer and in the back, with almost like a little bridge where the stairs were that went to the second story. Once in the living room I realized there were glass double doors right in the middle of the back wall, and upon closer inspection I realized it was like a study. My dad will have a nice office to work from, at least._

_I turned to venture upstairs but stopped when I took in the big empty living room. The front corner by the window would have been a great place for my piano. I suddenly wished I hadn't been so quick to tell my dad to leave it behind in Phoenix, in that moment thinking the last thing I'd want to do would be to sit at the piano my mother taught me to play on._

"_Thinking about your piano?" My dad's voice caught me off guard. He had obviously just walked in the front door with a box from the car, but I hadn't even noticed him._

"_To be honest, yes. I hate to admit that I am kind of mad at myself that I told you to leave it behind."_

"_Edward, I didn't leave it behind. It's not on the moving van that's coming in a bit, but it's in storage. I was just going to keep it there until I thought it was a good idea to tell you we still had it. I guess that time came sooner than I thought it would." He paused and looked toward the corner I had been looking into. "That corner?" He nodded his head._

"_Yeah," I said, suddenly very interested in my shoes._

"_You got it." He just looked at me for a moment, then headed on toward the stairs with a smile and said, "Enjoying the tour?"_

"_More than I thought I would, yes." I followed behind him up to the landing, then turned left toward a few more stairs and then again got to choose my adventure. Straight ahead was a small hallway just long enough for two bedroom doors to face each other, the one on the left being the one that was on the front of the house. Might as well take a look! I walked toward the door, which was already opened, and was impressed. It was a nice size, a great size really, and Alice was right – there was a window seat. Once again I was struck with the knowledge that I'd found yet another place that would be good for reading. Not knowing anyone in this town would probably lead to a lot of reading in the future, so at least I had some options for changes of scenery. The closet was a good size too, and truly there wasn't anything I could say negatively about it. There were hard wood floors just like throughout the rest of the house. I walked out and directly into the room behind it, not an identical match but close. There wasn't a window seat, but there was a neat cut out area that probably was space taken from the storage area behind the wall. I thought it would make a nice play area for Alice, like a secret niche. _

_I walked out the door and faced the stairs I'd just come up. To turn left would take me down a small hallway with open railings looking over the hallway below, then turn and run parallel to the wall of windows on the back of the house and toward a door that led into the master suite. It was a very large room with a large walk-in closet and attached bathroom. My dad was there opening boxes and just looking around. He let me peruse the room without comment and I walked back toward the door and toward the stairs once again. This time I stayed straight, making a turn that mirrored that of the back but this turn toward a door led me to a nice bathroom with double sinks and lots of storage space. There was a door beyond the sinks that led to the toilet and tub, so at least Alice and I could at least kind of be in the bathroom at the same time. But still, just one bathroom upstairs – one more thing to get used to._

"_Edward, Alice? What do you think?" I walked out of the bathroom and again toward the stairs. Alice was coming from downstairs and my dad from his room, and we all congregated in the hall at his calling. "Edward, I told you that you could have first pick. Which room would you prefer?"_

_I thought of the room with the cut out and just sucked it up that once again Alice would be right. "Honestly I do like the room on the front. I thought Alice would like the window seat, but in the back room there's a neat niche that could be fun. I'll take the room on the front."_

"_Told you!" Alice said with a smile. "Can I get some more of my things from the car, daddy?"_

"_Sure, pumpkin. Just be careful and if you need help just call for me or Edward. If you see the moving van coming let us know." He called after her, but she was already down the stairs and out the door, anxious to get started making her room her own. I headed down the stairs too, anxious to get a few of my things from the car inside to see if it would start feeling like home._

Eventually the moving van showed up which brought me back to unpacking boxes and trying to organize what I'd uncovered so far. I'd found my old Phoenix Suns baseball hat and it made me smile, so I threw it on backwards the way my mom always hated – or at least, she pretended she did and would tease me. She claimed I should never cover up my beautiful hair, but the chaos on top of my head was far from beautiful. I actually looked like a different person, I though, when I had a hat on. I had at least managed to get my bed put together and sheets on it after a few loads of laundry, so at least I could get some rest before school tomorrow. I had set a box in the window seat and was sorting through it when I saw a light come on in an upstairs room in that house down the street. I then realized that I'd never seen anyone come home earlier, around post-school time, after I got so busy getting comfortable here.

Without realizing it I had stopped unpacking and was just looking at the window and suddenly the girl from earlier appeared, and was still wearing her hoodie but the hood was down at least. She must have had her hair up or something, that or she didn't have any. My being here must have startled her just as much as she startled me, because she jumped a little but didn't go anywhere. It was far enough away that I couldn't make out a whole lot about her, but we were clearly looking at each other. Neither of us moved for a minute, and it was weird. I figured I'd have to meet this person at some point, so I'd be the friendly not-weird-and-drawing-attention-to-himself-and-his -family neighbor, so I lifted my hand slightly in a wave-type gesture.

After a beat she did the same thing, just raising her hand but not waving. We both lowered our hands at the same time, but still stood there. After another minute she just turned and disappeared quickly. The light turned off suddenly and I didn't see her again, even though I stood there another few minutes. I then turned my attention toward the moving van and the men still bringing in boxes. I noticed other movement at the house down the street, so I looked back realizing that other lights downstairs had come on. She must have been called to dinner. I sighed.

I continued for another few hours to get things as organized as I wanted, but I left some things intentionally so I'd have a reason to distance myself tomorrow after school if I needed to be alone. I could always play up the "I still need to put some things away" card, and probably could for a while. I located my book bag and what stuff I would take with me tomorrow and set it in the window.

When I finally lay down later I thought again about the girl down the street. I had no idea how old she was, but I had a feeling I would definitely see her at school. How did things work around here? Would we be friends just because we were neighbors? Would we _not _be friends just because we were neighbors? I was so nervous about the next part of this new life that was starting in the morning that I had to count backwards from 100 just to slow my breathing. I figured I had to give into the night at some point, so I eventually caved and just fell onto the bed.

"Goodnight, mom. I miss you. Watch over me tomorrow if you don't mind." I just stared at the ceiling pretending that she was going to answer me at any moment. I laid there and let thoughts of her run through my mind, and I forced myself to remember the good things. The time she busted me and my buddy, Brian, smoking cigarettes in the back yard behind the garage and instead of yelling at me she just walked up to me, took the cigarette from hand and inhaled a long drag. Then, she blew smoke rings. She was instantly the coolest mom ever in Brian's eyes, and in mine too. That evening she brought me a plate of her killer chocolate chip cookies and said, _Enjoy, baby boy. I love you more than anything in this world, but if I see or hear of you smoking in the future these will be your last, so make your decisions wisely. _Then she just stood and walked away, and that was it. She knew how to send a message. No cigarette was worth losing my mom's chocolate chip cookies. I've never smoked since.

The thought made me smile to myself and I again closed my eyes. What I would give to eat those cookies again. I could instantly smell and taste them, and it was with those thoughts in my head that I finally drifted to sleep. My dreams would definitely be sweet tonight – sweet like chocolate chip cookies that I would never have again.


	4. Chapter 4: Waving & Whack-A-Mole

**A/N: As always, thank you to Stephenie Meyer for the great characters. And a BIG THANK YOU to those that have posted a review! Keep them coming, and tell your friends to read up too – the more the merrier!**

Chapter 4: Waving & Whack-A-Mole

**~ Bella ~**

I had been watching for Rosalie to pull into the driveway. As soon as I saw her I started for the door, but Charlie got to me first.

"Bells? One day this week I'd like to go over to the new neighbors and introduce ourselves. I was thinking that maybe you could help me whip something up to take over, you know, kind of like a 'welcome to the neighborhood' gift." He stumbled around the words a little and I knew what he was really asking.

"Dad, do you want me to just make some cookies? Your help isn't required." I smiled at him. At least he always offered, but he knew I'd shoot him down. He was hoping for that too, I was sure.

"Yes!" His smile lit up his face and he hugged me quick. "Looks like they've started moving in," he motioned with his head toward the window over the kitchen table. We could see the house with a black SUV sitting out front. There were windows and doors open, so it was obvious that someone was inside. "Maybe we'll give them a chance to settle a bit before we barge in on them."

I looked through the window at the SUV, just wondering about the family. I was still sad about Angela, but it was purely selfish since it's not like she wasn't around any longer. I was both anxious to meet the new people and maybe make a new friend while equally feeling cautious over the change in my normal routine. I sighed. "It's up to you, dad, just let me know. They might appreciate being welcomed sooner than later, and you know you should be one of the first ones to greet them, what, with your fine and upstanding position as a quality citizen and community serv…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it. You're hilarious, by the way. You get your whit from me."

"Everyone knows this, Charlie," I deadpanned. We just looked at each other for a second then both grinned from ear to ear. "See you after school if Jeff comes in. I hope he's feeling better."

"Me too. See ya later, kiddo."

With that I pulled my hoodie up over my head for protection against the elements. Not that I'd spent time on my hair, though Rosalie wished I would. When I opened the door she was starting up the sidewalk, her bright red Lexus sitting in the driveway. I would never get tired of her taking me to school. She used me for my cookies and I used her for her car. It was a fair trade we both agreed on. I probably _should_ make her some cookies too since I'd have all the supplies but I knew she'd just be furious.

"Hey babe, sporting your designer couture as usual I see," she teased. She hated my hoodie. She never broke her stride as she came right to me and gave me a big hug. It was the extent of Rosalie's ability to comfort another person but it was exactly what I needed – she only did it in times of absolute necessity, which consisted of whenever I got back from seeing my mom and the few occasions I had agreed to let her take me shoe shopping and I started to hyperventilate. Those times she actually cried too, if I remember correctly.

As we pulled away from each other I said with a smirk, "Charlie and I are going over to meet the new neighbors one night this week and I'll take cookies, so I thought I'd make you some too."

"Swan, I will treat you like Whack-A-Mole if you do that, and no matter where you pop up I'll nail you," she teased back with a fairly good punch to my shoulder while she threw her head back and laughed. She tried to act like she hated me feeding her sweets, but I knew she loved it. Cookies for Rosalie – check!

She then pulled her sunglasses from her head onto her perfect face, squinting toward the sky. "News flash, citizens of Forks! The sun is out, story at eleven! Oh, and it looks like your new neighbors have already made their appearance," she too nodded toward the house just as my father had done.

I turned toward the house and shielded my eyes from the suddenly bright sun, glancing only briefly since I had done my staring through the kitchen window. I turned back to her, "Yeah, Charlie pointed that out this morning. Official it is."

"Official indeed, Yoda," she scoffed at me with a raised eyebrow. "And I officially need my _Beanz_ fix, so let's get a move on! The caffeine will be my saving grace when it comes to this make-up exam. I think Senora Baldwin hates me. She doesn't accept my female problems like Mr. Banner does."

"Rose, it's because you usually fake your female problems and Senora Baldwin is more aware than Mr. Banner than you can take a Midol and move on with your day. She's smarter than the average bear." I shook my head as we moved toward the car together, then fell in and buckled up.

"Swan, I'm going to let it slide that you think my powers of deception are lacking. To prove my ability to forgive and look past this indiscretion I'll even buy you an iced mocha," she grinned. "Your only cost is to fill me in on the weekend with your mom," she said with rare sincerity. "And don't leave out anything she said or did. Talk fast, though, or we're going to be late. Ready, GO!"

With that she peeled out from the stop sign and I laughed for the first time in days.

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

"Bella, we will have a new student starting tomorrow and I understand they were in a similar course in their school in Chicago. I will be assigning them as your lab partner for the rest of the term."

I just nodded my head to acknowledge that I'd heard. It's not like I could argue with Mr. Weiss, but I wanted to. As much as I initially loathed the fact that I lost my lab partner and would have to fly solo I was also giddy at the fact that I could work at my own pace and not have to rely on someone else. I always trusted my work – it was others that worried me. Much like driving.

Mike looked back over his shoulder at me, giving me a half-smile half-smirk though he really just looked constipated. I'm sure he thought it was sexy, the moron. Few people could pull that off, and he was _not _one of them. I figured he was mad that he'd not been reassigned to be my partner. There were girls that fell all over him, to be sure, but to me he was just…ugh.

His stare lasted a little too long and I was feeling myself being undressed in his mind. At that exact moment, from somewhere in the building, I heard a hiss – it was Rose, I was certain. Mike heard it too and quickly moved his googley eyes front and center. He hadn't quite figured out that when it came to protecting me Rosalie was omnipresent, God love 'er.

The rest of the day continued as normal. Several other people had also heard that there were two new students coming to the Forks school system, though we didn't have names or ages. Rosae had said she thought one was younger, but I figured it was best to go to the source of her Intel. We all waited until lunch time to pounce on Angela.

"Ang, the lovely Rose said that you thought one of the kids was younger. How'd you figure that out?" I inquired.

Angela was leaning her elbow on the table, her palm up acting as a resting place for her chin. She was looking off in the distance, thinking.

"I'm trying to remember exactly what my dad said on the phone that night, but the short answer is that it was the other family's realtor or something that he was talking to. Dad said something about both Principal Miller and Principal Rogers both being very good and to let the family know. If he was mentioning Principal Miller I assumed one of the kids must be in the elementary. Don't know ages or anything else really."

It was still more information than Charlie had, and it made me smile at how I'd have to beat him to the punch tonight and give him the details I had. He was probably working on it too.

Our evening dinner discussion decided I moved onto more pressing matters with the group.

"Rose, how was the Spanish Inquisition?" I raised my eyebrows at her, causing Angela to look back and forth between me and Rose.

"Wait," Angela said. "I thought you took your test last week? Rose, did you have 'female problems' again?" She giggled and slapped the table, instantly giddy.

Rose sighed. "Oh, Angie, I suppose I need to come up with something else. I didn't think it had been overused, but you two delinquents looking at me like that makes me wonder. It still works on Mr. Banner, though – I'm not giving that up."

She shook her finger in our faces like she was scolding children, causing Angela and I to laugh loudly. Emmett walked in the cafeteria just then and made his way over to our table. He sat down with a large thud, all his muscles landing solidly in the chair and nearly breaking it into pieces.

"How's my little harem today?" He purred with a big Cheshire poop-eating grin.

Rosalie kicked him under the table. She was awesome like that. "Emmett, as I tell you a thousand times a day, you're a pig. Now, tell us what you know of the new people, mister!"

He was still rubbing his shin as he answered. "Dagnabit, woman! Quit wearing those shoes, they're killer!" He quickly tried to regain his composure and be the stud as he said, "I got nothin'. Just what's already been said around school. I think they're starting tomorrow."

"That's what Mr. Weiss told me in Biology. Apparently one of them will be in our class, because he or she will be my new lab partner." With that we hit a lull in the topic, none of us knowing anything else than what we'd already discussed.

Saved by the bell! We all gathered our trays, mumbled the appropriate end of lunch niceties, and ventured in various directions. I could feel eyes on the back of my head and a chill went down my spine. It was probably the "Boob Squad", their leader, Lauren, most likely the one staring daggers at me. I decided to press on just as Rosalie whispered, "Just keep moving, Swan. She'll never stop being jealous." I knew she sensed it too, and if she was sensing that Lauren was jealous of her she was right – everyone was jealous of Rosalie.

Once out of the cafeteria I decided I would have to finish as much of my homework in study hall as possible, certain that I'd have a lot to do after school between going to the market and starting on multiple batches of cookies.

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

"Alright, pumpkin, I'll see you in the morning," Rose called through her window as she backed out of the driveway. I waved and she was off, and as I turned toward the house I looked again at the large moving van she and I noticed when we turned onto my street. Men were coming in and out bringing lots of boxes and wrapped items, but they were all in shirts that matched the color of the van. They were clearly from the moving company and not members of the family – so, still no glimpse of them.

I moved toward the front door noting the cruiser in the driveway. Obviously Jeff was feeling better, as he'd been out for a couple shifts. I walked in and Charlie quickly came to greet me.

"Hey Bells, I started making a grocery list," he said, staring at the paper in his hands. "I didn't know what all to put on it, but I have the basics I think. I figured I'd let you do the fine tuning. Do you want me to go to the store with you?" He looked completely freaked out at the thought, his eyes as big as dinner plates.

"No, that's okay. This is a big help though, thank you. I finished my homework at school, so I'll get Big Red out of the garage and head to town. I'll go ahead and make the cookies so we can go over to the new neighbors whenever you want."

"Sure, kiddo, that'll work." He handed me some cash for the groceries. "Here you go. That should be enough I think, and there's a little extra – get yourself something nice. I know how much you love a good Almond Joy." He held his hands up as he walked backwards down the hall, smiling big. "Or maybe go for some Peanut M&M's."

"You know me so well, Charlie," I smiled back. He was gone around the corner and I knew I wouldn't see him again until dinner. "I'll grab something quick for dinner tonight," I called. He shot back a muffled response, probably all he could offer, lest I disturb whatever he was watching on ESPN. I gathered the cash, finished the grocery list and checked it twice, and then headed off to Ross's Market.

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

I returned a while later with all the food we would need for a while, as well as all the fixings for my _Death by Chocolate Chips _as Rosalie had lovingly named my killer cookies. I turned the oven on low and threw the pizza I had grabbed on my way home into it while I put stuff away in the fridge. I called to Charlie once the fridge was stocked and asked him to put away items in the pantry while I changed upstairs. He saw the pizza in the oven, began to salivate, and proceeded to yell at me to hurry up. I yelled back that he needed to turn some lights on otherwise he'd go blind by only the light of the TV. He screamed just as sarcastically about it feeling like more like a movie theater.

I bounded up the stairs to my door, laughing, and flipped on the light. I was about to unzip my hoodie when I thought I'd sneak a peek down the road, so I made my way over to my window seat looked over. I don't think I was really expecting to see anyone, but there was indeed someone there. A boy, a guy really, right in Angela's window and he was staring directly at me.

Shocked, party of one! I nearly choked and I went totally stiff.

It caught me completely off guard. He was far enough away that I couldn't make out much, but he looked about my age and had on a backwards baseball cap. I think my brain was trying to process what I should do, run away and pretend like it didn't happen or just go with it.

I was quickly opting for door number one and was about to sprint away.

The decision was made for me, though, when he lifted his hand, not waving but instead just raising it up in a gesture of hello. I smiled and did the same, knowing there was no way I could pretend now like I hadn't seen him. We lowered our hands then, still looking at each other. I could tell he was smiling too, and the thought made me happy. As nervous as we were to have a new student I had to think how much more awkward it would be for him – all new people, new classes with new teachers, a new house. I didn't know the family's backstory, but I'm sure it would begin to circulate soon enough.

Suddenly the thought of going over made me incredibly nervous. I would meet him in school tomorrow, or see him at least, and then I'd have him for a neighbor.

What if he was gorgeous and I forgot how to talk and just drooled instead. Likely.

Or what if he was a total loser and I had to endure his proximity every day? Also likely.

Not knowing how things would progress started to make me panic, but then I saw his smile continue and it brought me back to reality. I needed to get back downstairs but I wasn't sure how to make my departure. I don't know why, but I thrust my hand back up in another awkward wave, embarrassed immediately at my choice of physical behavior, and then flew around the corner and turned the light off. I even held my breath. I had no idea why, but I rationalized that somehow it made sense.

I quickly changed and went back downstairs making sure to turn on every light switch I passed just to drive Charlie crazy. He started harassing me as I knew he would, threatening to not send me to college because the electric bills would prevent it.

I pulled the pizza from the oven and we sat down, quickly falling into the normal post-school conversations. He asked what I had heard, I asked what he had heard, and we traded information just as I anticipated that we would. And I was right – I knew more than he did. Score! Dinner was over quickly, Charlie offering to clean up the kitchen so I used the excuse to go on upstairs. I had no homework but I wanted the comfort of my room for privacy as I had a phone call to make.

Once I bid Charlie goodnight I closed myself in my room and peeked around the corner. There were still lights on in the room but no person in the window. I flopped on my bed and called Rosalie.

"Talk to me, babe." She was looking at a magazine. I could hear the pages flipping.

"It's a guy." I chewed on my fingernails as I said it, for some reason anxious to hear her take on this information. I knew she'd pick up what I was putting down with nothing more.

"Did you not meet the family yet? Did you meet _him_?" The flipping stopped. I had her full attention.

"No, I saw him from my window. He had on a hat, so I couldn't tell a lot about him, but it was definitely a guy. Guess he's got Angela's room."

"Did he see you too? Was he cute from what you could tell?"

"I have no idea, Rosalie. I could tell it was a guy, but you know how far the house is."

"If he's our age, somewhat cute and civilized I'm totally hooking you up. Will you let me play matchmaker?"

"No."

"Will you let me play matchmaker?"

"No, Rose."

"Will you let me play matchmaker?"

"Rosalie Hale, you do realize that your repetition works on Emmett but not me. I'll just hang up on you."

"You're no fun. But whatever. Did you make my…er, his cookies yet?"

Busted!

"No, not yet psycho, but don't you worry. I won't forget about you." And then I had a thought, evil as it was, to use my cookies for leverage. "Rosalie, you even hint at being a matchmaker and I swear you'll never have those cookies ever again. Clear?"

"Don't talk like that, Isabella. Don't you _dare _talk like that! Do you _want _me to have a nervous breakdown?!"

She was horrified and panicked, I could sense it. Excellent. "Oh, I will talk like that, lady. Just you try me."

"Okay, so noted. My _golly _you're worse than Jasper when it comes to annoying me just to be…annoying!"

"Don't pretend that you don't love me. Or Jasper. I know your games, Missy, and you don't scare me. I mean, sometimes you scare me but it's just when you're directing you're ferocity at Mike, or Lauren, or an underclassman. I did hear the nice hiss you threw out at Mike during biology, though. Much appreciated. You might need to seek some help to control your anger issues."

"No thank you. I like myself just the way I am," she sighed. "And you're welcome, by the way. Newton hasn't figured out my all-knowing abilities yet but someday he'll learn. Okay, I hear my mom calling to me to come take my laundry upstairs, so I gotta go. Hasta lasagna."

"Okay." I was lying on my bed staring at the ceiling.

"You okay, Swan?" A slightly larger than small amount of concern laced her voice.

It was my turn to sigh. "Yeah, it's just…it's just that it hit me during dinner that my mom never even called the house to make sure I got home okay. I wouldn't have wanted to talk to her anyway, so I know it sounds weird, but it's just…" I couldn't finish my own thought because I didn't even know what it was, or what I was saying.

"Hey, chica, it's okay. I get it. You don't even have to finish, trust me. You want to talk about it?" she offered.

"No, but thank you. I guess that was all I needed to get off my chest."

"Sure thing. I'll see you in the morning. Okay?" It hung between us, albeit briefly.

"Sounds good. Thank you, Rosie. Love you."

"Love you too. Jerk." Just like usual, she was gone. And I smiled.

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

The morning came much faster than I thought it would. Typically I tossed and turned each night, something I had grown quite accustomed too but nonetheless wished would stop. As I rubbed the sleep from my eyes I realized that I'd basically stayed in the same position all night. After talking with Rosalie I had a long shower, taking more time than was truly necessary to wash my hair and try to let the stress of the previous weekend swirl down the drain.

I had even dared to fire up the laptop last night, for some reason needing to check my account and see if Renee had possibly emailed me instead. Once open I realized that it was still wishful thinking on my part – she just didn't even realize that she had the ability to hurt my feelings so badly. She was my mom, after all, so wasn't she supposed to have some maternal instinct or something? Apparently not.

By the time I gave up on my email and had surfed the web for as long as I could stand I closed up shop and lay on the bed with a book. I'd already read _To Kill a Mockingbird _a thousand times, but c'mon…it's a classic. I didn't actually remember reading any of it, finding it laying open beside me on the bed as I yawned and looked around the room.

I stood and stretched, working the kinks out of all my stiff muscles. I chanced a peek around the window toward the new neighbor's house, and the tall tree line behind them shadowed the house slightly, enough cover to show the distinct outline of light around the upstairs window facing mine.

"I wonder if you realize what you're in for, new neighbor people," I mumbled to myself. Today would surely be interesting, both for them and the current population of Forks High School – apparently we had nothing else to focus on and were practically salivating at the thought of someone to share stories of cities much more glamorous than our own.

My morning routine was just what it is every morning – routine. When I finished and was just about ready for Rosalie to appear I headed downstairs to grab a quick breakfast, not hungry for much and nervous about what the day might bring for some reason. Charlie was checking sport statistics on ESPN already, his normal morning routine as well. He had told me last night that he'd be working until after six o'clock but that he wanted to introduce ourselves to the new neighbors tonight when he was back.

And still in uniform, I thought – he'd never say it, but he wanted his status known.

Once I saw Rose pull in the driveway I started making my way toward her. It was turning out to be a pretty nice day, the sun already making an appearance like it had yesterday. She had stayed in the driver's seat but had opened her door, her left leg out with her heeled foot firmly planted on the ground. How she wore those shoes to school and managed to function I'd never know. She immediately started in on my apparent lack of there-is-a-new-person-coming-today attire.

"Is that why you're dressed up, Barbie? You're already taken, you know. You're not allowed to have the shiny new toy."

"Every day is an excuse to look your best," she stated in clear defense, knowing she was busted. "Besides, there's no harm in looking good. Whoever these new people are they deserve to know that Forks is not just some Podunk town – we know how to clean up." She smiled wide, happy with her excuse. "Looks like they're headed in now," she nodded toward the black SUV coming up the road.

We were both looking to watch them pass, me wondering if the guy I saw through the window last night was driving or inside somewhere when I heard, "Bells?"

I turned quickly to see Charlie standing on the front porch. "Yeah dad?" I heard the SUV pass behind me. I'd totally missed my chance.

"I just wanted to remind you about when I'd be home tonight."

"You told me last night, dad. After six, right?"

"Yeah, we'll try to head over quickly so we don't interrupt their dinner. Okay then, kiddo, see you later. Have a nice day, you two. Behave." His last comment directed at Rosalie, surely. He turned and went back inside.

"Well," Rosalie started as soon as I got in and closed the door, "the _gorgeous_ blonde god driving that _gorgeous_ black car certainly isn't hard on the eyes! You totally missed it. He waved, too, so clearly there are manners in that family."

"Dramatic much? Yeah, I'll get my chance in the stink-infused halls of the school. Now step on it, Rosie."

"Ma'am, yes ma'am!" She laughed as we backed out. "I'm in need of some _Beanz _again today. You up for it, hoodie girl?"

"Shut up, Rose. And sure, why not," I offered. "It'll be the highlight of my day."

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

Getting in and out of _Beanz _had taken longer than expected, so we were running a little behind when we finally made it to the school. Rosalie and I both searched for the black SUV but didn't spot it anywhere. In thinking back on it the car had left pretty early, but we rationalized that they probably had to get to school and do all the necessary paperwork and scheduling. When we started walking toward the main entry people were already talking, Rose and I both looking at each other at various points to make sure the other was hearing the same thing.

"_Seriously, Jenn, he was the hottest guy I've ever seen. Ever."_ And then…

"_I didn't think people like that existed outside of the movies."_ And another one…

"_Did you see his dad? He was hawt! Killer gene pool!"_

Comments like this continued as we made our way in, and when Emmett spotted us he ran toward us like an overgrown Labrador.

Rose took a deep breath and asked him, "So have you seen the new guy?"

"Yeah." He replied with a smile. "Dude's hot!" Emmett looked so pleased with himself.

We were all leaning against our lockers sharing the things we'd heard while we waited for the first warning bell. People were in a tizzy everywhere, mostly girls, and they all seemed to be saying the same things.

"Well, honestly, that's impressive right there. If Emmett's willing to admit it then he must really be something." I said. Rosalie looked like she could hardly wait to get her own glance, her eyes shifting all over the hallway.

"Hey, I'm secure enough in my manhood to admit when I see a dude that's attractive," Emmett responded loudly. "He looked pretty freaked out too, poor guy, surrounded by the 'Boob Squad." He was headed into the office with his dad a while ago. I slapped him on the back and offered my welcoming smile but didn't get much of a reaction."

"It's because you scare most people, Emmett. You're so oblivious. Now, what did he look like?" Rosalie stopped looking everywhere but us to make sure she had Emmett's attention.

"Rosie, I said he was hot. I didn't say I could tell you what he had on or how he fixed his hair. I have no idea." But I was sure Emmett knew, he just didn't want to admit it. I loved him so much.

She looked like she would punch him, but she just leaned up and kissed his cheek then patted it. "Emmett, you're of no use if you can't provide us any details. Now move along."

"Sorry Rosie . I'm observant, but only to a point. Especially with other dudes." With that he leaned down and kissed her then winked and shot over his shoulder as he walked away, "Thanks for dressing up for me today."

Oblivious indeed. We were chuckling together when we were engulfed by pure evil and all humor left us in a great big ol' hurry.

"Oh, I could tell you all about the new student if you want to know."

There were few voices that could make a person's skin crawl and I could give you them all on one hand – Freddy Krueger, that Hannibal Lector guy from _Silence of the Lambs_, and Lauren Mallory. And last I checked Freddy and Hannibal were not registered students in the Forks school system.

Lauren hated Rose and me. She was beautiful, very fashionable like Rose, never had a hair out of place. And yet she did everything she could with her body language and snide comments to make sure I knew that she despised my very existence. Rose just told her where to shove it most of the time, but I preferred to take the if-I-don't-acknowledge-you-then-you-won't-acknowle dge-me route.

I stayed in my same position, back to the locker and didn't turn around, but I saw Rosalie's head slowly turn and I inwardly smiled hoping she would shut Lauren up.

"Good morning, Ice Princess. I see you have no one else to bother at the moment?" Rose spat sweetly at her.

"Oh, well gee, I'm sorry. I overheard you saying that you didn't have any information on the new student, which seems odd since you _always_ try so hard to know everything. Clearly this time you fell short. I just thought I'd enlighten you a little. He _is _quite hot, as Emmett so eloquently put it, so it's too bad you're taken. I don't think he's into slumming it either." I didn't have to see her to know her classic sneer was in place, or that the last part was directed at me.

"You 'overheard'? No, little girl, that's called eavesdropping. You know? Sticking your nose where it doesn't belong with the hopes of being part of someone else's conversation?" Rosalie drew her words out slowly like she was talking to a child. I had to look down at the backpack in my arms to keep Lauren from seeing my smile.

Lauren sighed heavily then said something she would regret.

"Whatever…Rosie."

I thought Rose was going to come out of her skin, so much so that I jerked my head up and turned toward her, willing her to listen to the loud message I was sending her with my thoughts. _Do not punch her, Rosalie Hale, even though I really want you to. She'd love nothing more than for you to make her the victim._

But Rose never moved or even blinked. I could only imagine what was going on in her head. Her voice dropped down to that scary level, the level that whenever your parents pull it out you instantly know you're in deep doo-doo.

"Lauren, since you're so interested in enlightenment this morning let me instill some on you. If you _ever_ call me that again, and I don't just mean to my face but to anyone anywhere at any point from here forward, I will see to it that the photos I have on my phone of you and Tyler in the back seat of his car make their way to every student, parent and faculty member by way of our school's very handy email directory. I'm sure Mayor Crowley would love to know of his son's extracurricular activities with the town trash. Next time try to be a bit more discreet, would you please?"

And then I couldn't stand it any longer, I had to turn around and look. I had to see Lauren's reaction, and it was exactly what I expected. Her face had gone white and her breathing had taken a complete hiatus. A glance at Rose gave nothing away of her true feelings – a true award-winning performance.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lauren replied, the voice quiet and not her own.

"The complete lack of any color on your horrible face and the knowledge that you're likely trying to prevent yourself from peeing down your leg tell me otherwise. Now I suggest you move along before I tell you what else I have pictures of." Rose was not backing down, her acting nominations piling on.

Lauren was determined to not seem afraid, so to her credit she stood there another moment. Then she turned on me. "Oh, Isabella, I didn't even see you standing there. Pity I had to notice now." With that she finally turned to walked away. Rose looked like she was going to take a step and follow her, but I reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Rose, let it go," I whisper-yelled. "She is just a miserable person, like you said. But seriously? You have pictures like that and you never told me? Not that I want to see them, but I cannot believe that you held out on that kind of information!"

"I don't have any pictures," she replied flatly, her words at the tail end of a long sigh.

"What?" The confusion written on my face was also award worthy. Had to be.

"I took a guess and was right. She's such filth, it was an easy assumption. Certainly no harm in her thinking that I have pictures like that, though. I should have thought of that sooner." Rose was looking now at her cuticles, not ruffled in the slightest.

We heard some noise at the end of the hall and looked that direction. Lauren had gathered with some other students, and we could hear her saying things like, _yes, he's just starting today, _and then, _I've offered to walk him around to his classes and introduce him to my group. _ She was unbelievable.

"She is unbelievable," Rose muttered.

I laughed. "That's _exactly_ what I was just thinking. She's threatened by you obviously," I said looking at Rose's profile, but then I turned back toward the hallway where Lauren stood, "but I still can't figure out what I ever did to her. Guilt by association, I guess." I saw Rose turn to me from my peripheral vision.

"You don't see yourself clearly, Swan, I've told you this." She sighed. "Okay, cupcake, I gotta go. Don't you have a biology lab today? Should I save you a seat at lunch?"

"Yeah, I do actually, but it shouldn't be too bad. Save me one just in case, though."

"Okay, will do." She reached down and gave me a quick hug and then was, per usual, gone.

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

Several class periods later I was making my way to biology, dreading the solo lab I'd have to perform but realizing that if I worked quickly I could finish and be to lunch on time. I still hadn't met the new student or heard much else, but maybe he'd be in my biology class. That's when it hit me full force – the _new_ student was my _new_ lab partner! I was such an idiot. I was clearly distracted by all other thoughts recently because it took until that moment to put two and two together.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, telling me I had a text.

_Seriously, Swan, what we heard is right. He's delicious! -R_

I smiled to myself. Obviously Rose had now met, or at least seen, the new guy. And then another message quickly popped in:

_Heard he's on his way with the "Boob Squad" to the biology lab. Enjoy your new lab partner, and I want full details later! -R_

Yes, thank you Rosalie. I think you had that figured out before I did, and I had to chuckle to myself at how obviously unobservant I was. I slowed my roll a bit when I saw Lauren and her posse walking toward the door ahead of me, not wanting to be seen by them. I heard her shrill voice then and instantly wanted to gag.

"I'll head back this way and grab you for lunch – just wait here for me!"

New guy had his head bent down and he was rubbing the back of his neck, completely surrounded by the Boob Squad. His body language indicated he was uncomfortable, even from a distance.

I didn't want Lauren to ever think she had me scared or had the upper hand, even though truth be told is was accurate in every sense, so I took a deep breath and started forward. I figured I'd just smile and walk past then introduce myself at the lab table. I wasn't expecting what happened next.

As I stepped into view Lauren saw me and her evil eyes locked on me, instantly making me feel an inch tall and nearly invisible. She said to him, "I know the introductions are getting overwhelming, and there's really no one else of importance anyway." She never broke her eye contact me with me. "I'll just fill you in on who you need to know at lunch."

I tried to ignore it and move on past. No such luck.

Just then Mike went flying past me toward the door, hitting my shoulder hard and causing me to drop my half-opened backpack on the floor, things falling out all around me.

"Sorry!" Mike called back, obviously not wanting to be late to class. Again.

My biology text book slid across the floor and hit the new guy right in the back of the foot, causing instant hysterics from the Boob Squad. At that he turned around and I finally saw him, the one every student had been going crazy over all morning. My brain started to process it all at once – _this_ was my new lab partner, _this_ was my new neighbor, and _this_…was the guy I had seen on the plane.

_Edward_.

This wasn't happening. This just was _NOT _happening.

"Well," Lauren started, "it didn't take long for our school klutz to introduce herself. Nicely choreographed, Isabella!" She threw her head back in laughter and the Squad joined in. I was expecting him to join I guess, or maybe just to ignore me altogether.

We just stared at each other for a moment. I was certain that I had a completely freaked out look on my face, but he looked almost…relieved?

He took a deep breath gave a tentative smile, nodding at me. "That's actually the most creative introduction I've had all day," his voice like silk. "And I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to introduce myself when we met before. I'm Edward Cullen. You're Isabella?" He extended his hand toward me, a formal gesture. He was conveying something more with this facial expression that I couldn't quite place, but I didn't care at the moment since he was gorgeous and paying attention to me. And I hadn't drooled yet.

"Just Bella." It was all I could manage as I reached out to shake his hand. I was watching his face, and just before my hand touched his he closed his eyes.

This was all so curious.

When our hands touched the eyes he'd shut just a second before shot open immediately and he looked from my face to my hand, and it was then that I realized the current running up to my shoulder. Was he reacting because he felt that too?

I had definitely read too many of those smutty romance novels. Curse you, Rosalie Hale!

"Nice to see you again, 'Just Bella.'" He kept his small smile trained on me and pulled his hand away slowly. He then bent down to retrieve my rogue text book. His action caused me to realize my bag was still on the floor too so I quickly bent down to grab it, trying not to think of how it sounded to hear him say my name.

"Looks like you're headed in here too, I see?" He nodded toward the biology door, but was still looking at my text book in his hands.

"Yes. And I was told I was getting a new lab partner. I'm guessing that's you." I was readjusting my bag to my shoulder as I spoke, hoping that we could get inside and away from Lauren and her lemmings quickly. Their stares during the whole exchange was making me uncomfortable.

"That's probably a good guess." He gave a little laugh. "Okay, well, show me the way." He still had that small smile as he held his arm out toward the door.

Then we both heard Lauren call out.

"Don't forget I'll head back this way to grab you for lunch, Edward. Just wait here for me since I'll be coming from the other building." She sounded desperate and it made me so, so happy.

"Um, thanks Lauren, but you said we all eat at the same time, right? Don't worry about heading all the way back over here. I'll just have Bella show me the way and give you a break from chauffeuring the new guy around. Is that okay, Bella?" He turned to back to me. The facial message he was conveying earlier now loud and clear.

He wanted to be saved from Lauren.

"Sure." I sounded calmer than I felt, and suddenly powerful too that he was willing to dedicate time to me, even if it was just a ruse. "Have you met Rosalie or Emmett yet," I asked, knowing Lauren wouldn't have introduced them. "And how's your little sister, by the way?" I couldn't resist asking. I knew it would drive Lauren crazy to think I was closer with his family than she was or that I knew more than she did.

It was at the mention of his sister that his smile became genuine. "Oh, she's good, thanks. She's probably enjoying being the center of attention today much more than I am. And, no I haven't met Rosalie or Emmett. At least I don't think I have."

It wasn't lost on me that our conversation continued while we left the Boob Squad abandoned in the hall, Lauren dismissed and completely forgotten. It wasn't lost on Lauren either.

Her retaliation at some point was inevitable.

It was right after we crossed the threshold into the room that he stopped and gently grabbed my arm, looking back over his shoulder at the retreating Squad while other students filtered past and around us. He waited a beat then turned to me again.

Suddenly he looked frantic.

"Two things. One, I'm sorry about being a jerk to you on the plane and I hope to make that up somehow. I was having a really bad day and I _still_ can't believe you're here. I never thought I'd see you again, Bella, and I'm so, so sorry." He was breathing heavy and his words were rushed, like he was afraid his message wouldn't be conveyed properly if he didn't hurry.

The bell rang then and I knew we needed to get to our table, so I turned to start walking further into the room. In thinking back on the plane ride it all made sense – he was on his way to a new town and a new life, and I would have in a bad mood too. He would have to give me a backstory sometime about how he'd managed to end up in Forks, but for now I was content to be looking at his beautiful face.

I would perhaps have to think my old-name stereotype. Dang it all to pieces.

I heard Mr. Weiss begin to gather the class to order. It was while walking to our table that I remembered he said there were two things.

"And what's the second thing?" I mumbled, moving in a nearly hypnotic state while I tried to focus on my hands and my bag and anything that wasn't him.

He laid my text book on the table and pushed it toward me. We both watched the motion, the book stopping just beside my bag. I stared at it for a second, then up to his face thinking he hadn't heard my question.

One glance at his face told me he _had_ heard me, and he was almost shy as his eyes met mine and he whispered softly.

"I love you."

**A/N: Thank you for reading – and remember, tell you friends to read too! Reviews equal much happiness and faster updates! :)**


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